#10: Black Prince’s Ruby (Spinel) – Edward of Woodstock (England)
The Black Prince’s Ruby is not a ruby at all but one of the largest red spinels in the world, weighing about 170 carats. Set at the center of the Imperial State Crown, just above the Cullinan II diamond, it stands out for its deep red color and irregular cabochon shape, complete with a tiny drilled hole from its earlier life as a pendant. Its history reads like a battlefield saga: taken in 14th-century Spain after the death of a sultan, gifted to Edward of Woodstock, and later worn by Henry V of England at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Despite centuries of conflict and the destruction of the Crown Jewels in 1649, the gem survived and remains one of the collection’s most storied pieces, now displayed at the Tower of London.
